Container filling machine with pedal operated vertically swingable hopper and vertically reciprocable plunger carrying rotatable tamping fingers



Sept. 19, 1950 w. w. MANN 2,522,884

CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE WITH PEDAL OPERATED VERTICALLY SWINGABLE HOPPER AND VERTICALLY RECIPROCABLE PLUNGER CARRYING ROTATABLE TAMPING FINGERS Filed Sept. 7, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l l I 32 46 I H5 37 42 3f a is H I 19- 1 4 I 4 I as i 43 33 f a I I 35- 40 f ,1 I 13 6 g I 16 I i i 7 17 9 22 I I I a 29 8 18 23V 2o 2/ 19 I 26 I Inventor nrren WMGfi/Q.

WW fim Sgpt. 19, 1950 w ANN 2 522,884

. W. M 9 CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE WITH PEDAL OPERATED VERTICALLY SWINGABLE HOPPER AND VERTICALLY RECIPROCABLE PLUNGER CARRYING ROTATABLE TAMPING FINGERS Filed Sept. 7, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Sept. 19, 1950 w. w. MANN 2,522,884

CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE WITH PEDAL OPERATED VERTICALLY SWINGABLE HOPPER AND VERTICALLY RECIPROCABLE PLUNGER CARRYING ROTATABLE IAM ING FINGERS Filed Sept. 7, 1945 4 SheetsSheet 5 Inventor Mfr? 7V: M07772.

(ma W 3 63263 Sept. 19, 1950 w, w. MANN 2,522,884

CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE WITH PEDAL OPERATED VERTICALLY SWINGABLE HOPPER AND VERTICALLY RECIPROCABLE PLUNGER CARRYING ROTATABLE TAMPING FINGERS Filed Sept. 7, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor Warren Wflbrm.

Patented Sept. 19, 1950 CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE WITH PEDAL OPERATED VERTICALLY SWING- ABLE HOPPER AND VERTICALLY RECIP ROCABLE PLUNGER CARRYING ROTAT- ABLE TAMPING FINGERS WarrenW Mann, Ann Arbor, Mich. Application September 7, 1945, Serial No. 614,882

7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to containerfilling machines, and has more particular reference toa machine for use in the manufacture of oil and air filters by compactly packing cotton waste or other fibrous filtering material into containers so as to provide filtering units for the oil and air filters.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the above kind which is comparatively simple in construction, easy to operate, and efiicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above kind having novel provision whereby the machine may be used to fill containers of different heights.

The exact nature of the present invention, as well as specific objects and features thereof, will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection. with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a container-filling machine constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a front elevational view thereof,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section showing details of the material-tamping device forming part of the machine,

Figure 4 is an enlarged, horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, but with parts omitted,

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the construction shown in Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a modification of the machine, and

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line l-'I of Figure 6.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the present machine is shown as comprising a base 5 havin a hollow post or standard 6 rigid with and rising from the rear portion thereof. Vertically slidable on the post 6 is a bracket 1 having a forwardly projecting arm 8 to which is secured a supporting table 9 for the container to be filled, which container is indicated by dotted lines at Ill.

Secured in a fixed position on the post 6 above the bracket 1 is a collar II having levers l2 pivoted intermediate their ends as at l3 to opposite sides thereof. The forward end portions of the levers l2 are rigidly connected by a suitable frame M in which is secured a hopper l5 adapted to receive the material to be fed into and'tamped within the container ll]. Hopper l5 has a constricted outlet portion I6 receivable in the upper end of the container l0 when the hopper is in lowered position; The hopper is raised by swinging the levers l2: about their pivots and through the instrumentality of tension springs l'| connectd at corresponding ends to the rear ends of the levers l2 and at their remaining ends to a collar l8 secured on the post 6 benath the bracket 1.

Foot operated means is provided or lowering the hopper I5 so as to cause its restricted outlet l6 to enter the top of the container, which means includes a foot pedal is pivoted at its rear end to a collar 20, as at 2|, which collar is secured on the post 6 below the collar 18. The foot pedal 19 extends forwardly beyond the front of the base 5 and is operatively connected intermediate its ends with the frame M of the hopper by means of rods or links 22, one of which is connected to each side of the foot pedal [9 and each side of the frame [4.

Means isprovided to releasably secure the foot pedal 19 in depressed position and to thereby secure the hopper I5 in its lowered position against the action of springs ll, which means includes a hand lever 23 pivoted on the base 5 as at 24 and extended upwardly to point slightly above the hopper at one side of the latter as shown in Figure 2. The lower portion of lever 23 is laterally offset as at 25 so as to engage over the adjacent side portion of foot pedal l9 when said lever 23 is swung toward the hopper [5 to the position shown in Figure 2. By swinging the lever 23 away from the hopper, its offset portion 25 may be disengaged from the foot pedal I9 so as to allow the springs ll to raise the hopper and thereby remove its outlet l6 from the upper end of the container H! for facilitating removal of the latter at the completion of the filling operation. The swinging movement of lever 23 toward the hopper l5 may be properly limited by means of a laterally extending arm 25 fixed to the pivot 24 of the lever 23 and arranged to contact the base 5 when the offset portion 25 of lever 23 is engaged over the pedal l9. Thus, raising of the hopper is effected automatically upon release of the foot pedal IS. The table [0 is vertically adjusted according to the height of the container to be filled, by means of a suitable jack including a screw 2'! fixed to and depending from the table 9 and extending into a hollow base 28 mounted on the base 5 of the machine, and a hand nut 29 journaled on the top of the jack base 28 and having threaded engagement with the screw 21.

Meansis provided for tamping the material compactly within the container it as it is fed to the latter from the hopper [5; For this purpose, a bracket 30 is secured in a fixed position on the post 5 above the hopper l5, and this bracket has a forwardly projecting portion provided with slide bearings 3| for a vertically reciprocating plunger 32 that extends above and below said bearings. Secured on the plunger 32 below the bearings i is a horizontal ratchet disk 33, and carried by the lower end of plunger 32 is a tamping head 34. Also mounted on the lower end portion of plungor 32 is a tamping pin assembly 35 including a plurality of tamping pins 35 grouped above the head 34 and depending below the latter.

The ratchet disk 33 forms part of a means for automatically imparting a step-by-step turning movement to the plunger 32 and parts carried thereby during reciprocation of plunger 32, whereby the material may be tamped within the container [5 by the pins 35 substantially throughout the area thereof. In other words, the ratchet mechanism is such as to rotate the assembly 35 so that the pins 35 will occupy positions intermediate the positions which they assumed on the previous down stroke of the plunger. 3 This means or mechanism further includes a bracket Lil mounted on the bracket 35 directly behind the bearings 3| and having a pawl 38 pivoted thereon -as at 39 for vertical swinging movement and so as to extend forwardly in operative relation to the ratchet disk 35. The pawl 33 has a rear- Wardly extending arm it to which is pivoted the forward end of a rod il which loosely and slidably extends through a rearwardly extending bracket &2 carried by the bracket 3?. Secured on the rear end portion of rod ll is an adjustable resilient stop sleeve 33 arranged to engage the apertured end of bracket 52 to limit the lowering of pawl 33 under the influence of gravity. The major portends forwardly of the plunger 32 intermediate its ends. As the ratchet disk 32 also moves above the plane of the pivot 39 of pawl 38 when the plunger is elevated, it will be apparent that a partial rotation of ratchet disk 35 and plunger 32, together with parts carried by the latter, will take place each time the plunger 32 is raised. It will be further seen that the pawl is allowed to move to the start of a new actuating movement each time the plunger 32 is lowered. Plunger 32 may be reoiprocated by means or" a hand lever 45, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or by poweroperated means, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. It is noted, however, that when power is used, modiiication of the plunger construction is necessary, as will be later described. As shown, the lever 45 is pivoted at its rear end as at 46 to a bracket tl mounted on the upper end of post 6, and the intermediate portion of lever 55 is pivotally and slidably connected at 3 to the upper end of plunger 52. In order to counterbalance the weight of the plunger 32 and parts carried thereby, as well as the lever 15, a flexible member 69 is connected at one end to the upper end of plunger 32 and has its other end attached to a counterweight 5@ which is vertically slidable in the post 6. The first-mentioned end of the flexible member attached to an eye 5! swivelled to the upper end of plunger 32 so that turning of said plunger 11'' cause twisting of the flex-- ible member 5%]. From the eye 52, the flexible 4 member 49 extends over idler pulleys 52 and 53, respectively, journaled in an upward extension 54 of bracket 4'! directly over the plunger 32 and over the post 6.

In operation, the lever 23 is released from the pedal l9 and the Springs il swing the hopper I5 upwardly. The container to be filled may then be placed upon the table 9, whereupon the pedal I9 is depressed so as to swing the hopper l5 downwardly and cause its outlet 6 to enter the top of the container. Lever 23 is then swung toward the hopper so as to lock the pedal I9 in depressed position and thereby secure the hopper l5 in its lowered position against the action. of springs l l. The material to be placed in the container I0 is then suitably fed into the hopper l5 so that it will gravitate into the receptacle I. As the container Hi becomes filled, the plunger 32 is manually reciprocated so that the material will be tamped in the container H] by the tamping head 34 and tamping pins 36, Effective and compact tamping of the material may thus be had, and the tamping operation of the pins 36 will be effective substantially throughout the area of the material due to the step-by-step rotation of the plunger 32 and assembly by means of the ratchet mechanism described. As soon as the container has been filled with the material and the material has been effectively tamped in the container, the latter may be readily removed immediately after the foot pedal i9 is released and the hopper is raised by disengaging the lever 23 from the pedal l9 and permitting the springs H to raise the hopper. This cycle of operation is repeated as long as there are containers to be filled.

Referring to Figures 6 and '7, which illustrate modification of the plunger necessary for power operation thereof, the plunger is generally designated by the numeral 32a, and it consists of a rod having the tamping head 34 on its lower end and also provided on its lower end portion with the tamping pin assembly 35. In addition, the ratchet disk 33 is secured on the rod 55 above the assembly 35 as in the embodiment of Figure l. The rod slidably extends through a tubular outer plunger member 56 whose ends are Partially closed by caps 5i having central openings through which the rod 55 slidably extends. The rod 55 has an enlargement or collar 58 near the lower end of the tubular member 55, and a compression spring 553 encircles the rod 55 between the enlargement58 and the upper cap 51 so as to normally yieldingly maintain the enlargement 58 at the lower end of the plunger member 56, as shown in Figure 7. A washer 58 is provided on the rod 55 directly, beneath the element 58, At the same time, the spring 59 permits upward yielding of the rod 55 and parts carried thereby relative to the plunger member 55, as will be apparent. In order to reciprocate the plunger, the upper end of the plunger member 55 may be operatively connected to a crank member 60 by means of a connecting rod 5|, said crank member 58 bein secured on an end of a power-driven shaft 62 having a driving pulley 63 and journaled in suitable bearings of a mounting bracket 64 secured on the upper end of post 6. As the length of the stroke of plunger member 56 will beconstant, the rod 55 is allowed to yield upwardly relative to said plunger member 56 as required by risin of the level of the material being fed into and tamped within the container it. Otherwise, the machine having power-driven means for reciprocating the plunger will be constructed 625-. 1

actly the same as that previously described and illustrated as embodying the hand lever 45. It will also be apparent that in both cases the operation of the machines is substantially the same.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Minor changes may be made in details of construction illustrated and described, such as fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a stationary container-filling machine, a container support, a hopper having a constricted bottom outlet and mounted above the container support for vertical movement to enter the outlet of the hopper in and remove it from a container disposed on said support, means including an operating pedal operatively connected to the hopper and depressible for lowering said hopper, manually releasable means to hold the pedal depressed and the hopper lowered, spring means to raise the hopper upon release of said manually releasable means, and means including a vertically movable reciprocable plunger having tamping elements movable through the outlet of the hopper for compactly tamping the material in the container as it is fed thereto from the hopper.

'2. The construction defined in claim 1, in combination with a vertically swinging hand lever operatively connected to the plunger for actuating the same, counterbalancing means for said plunger and said lever.

3. The construction defined in claim 1, in combination with a vertically swinging hand lever operatively connected to the plunger for actuating the same, counterbalancing means for said plunger and said lever, a base, a post rising from said base, said counterbalancing means comprising a weight vertically movable in the post, and a flexible member connected at one end to the weight and at the other end to said plunger.

4. The construction defined in claim 1, in combination with a base, a post rigid with and rising from said base, levers fixed to said hopper and pivoted intermediate their ends on said post, said spring means including tension springs connected at corresponding ends to the levers and at their other ends to the post.

5. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein said plunger includes an inner rod member carrying said tamping elements and provided with an enlargement, an outer tubular member through which said rod member slidably extends, and a compression spring within said tubular member and surrounding said rod member between said enlargement and the upper end of said tubular member so as to normally yieldingly maintain the rod member in a lowered position relative to said tubular member, and power-operated means connected to said tubular member for reciprocating the latter.

6. In a container-filling machine, a vertically adjustable container support adapted to be set in fixed positions, means for vertically adjusting said support, a hopper having a constricted bottom outlet and pivotally mounted above the container support for vertical swinging movement to enter the outlet of the hopper in and remove it from a container disposed on said support, means including an operating pedal depressible for 10-wering the hopper, manually releasable means to hold the pedal depressed, spring means to raise the hopper upon release of said manually releasable means, and means including a vertically movable reciprocable plunger having tamping elements movable through the outlet of the hopper for compactly tamping the material in the container as it is fed thereto from the hopper.

7. In a container-filling machine, material tamping means including a guide, a vertically reciprocable and axially rotatable plunger movable in said guide, a tamping pin assembly mounted on the lower end of the plunger, and ratchet mechanism for imparting a step-by-step partial rotative movement to the plunger each time the latter is reciprocated, said ratchet mechanism including a ratchet disk mounted on and movable with the plunger, a vertically swinging pawl coacting with the ratchet disk and mounted on a plane intermediate the limits of movement of the ratchet disk with the plunger, an apertured stationary bracket, an arm fixed to and movable with the pawl, a rod pivoted at one end to said arm, said rod being loosely slidable through said bracket, and an adjustable resilient stop mounted on the other end of the rod and coactin with the bracket to limit downward movement of the pawl to a point above the lower limit of movement of the ratchet disk.

WARREN W. MANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,659 Kinmon Apr. 2 6, 1864 244,378 Clark July 1.9, 1881 282,984 Hay Aug. 14, 1883 641,546 Richmond et al Jan. 1.6, 1900 809,526 Nungesser Jan. 9, 1906 1,083,765 Smith Jan. 6, 1914 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7,251 Great Britain Mar. 26, 1904 

